As the school year resumes, parents are revisiting the challenge of packing healthy snacks for their children. One intriguing option is a recipe for Havre Kjeks, or oatmeal crackers, featured in the 1985 community cookbook, The Joy of Sharing, published by the Oak Valley American Lutheran Women of Velva, North Dakota. This recipe, contributed by Olga I. Gryde, not only provides a tasty snack but also highlights the significance of culinary heritage in community cookbooks.
The recipe for oatmeal crackers appears straightforward at first glance. It requires basic ingredients: oatmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, shortening, and milk. The instructions are succinct, stating, “Combine all ingredients. Roll dough fairly thin, cut with cookie cutter and bake in moderate oven.” However, the simplicity of the recipe can be misleading. Crafting the dough required careful attention, including recognizing when it was too dry and adjusting the moisture accordingly.
Exploring the Recipe’s Challenges
While preparing the crackers, I faced challenges with the dough’s texture and the rolling process. After experimenting with various techniques, I found that using a heavy glass to pound the dough from the center worked best for achieving the desired thinness. The baking process was also somewhat ambiguous, as the recipe only specified a moderate oven temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After monitoring them closely, the crackers emerged from the oven after 50 minutes, beautifully golden brown and crisp.
The origins of this recipe raise intriguing questions about authorship and attribution in culinary tradition. Gryde’s Havre Kjeks closely resembles a recipe found in other cookbooks, such as those by Julia Peterson Tufford. While Gryde included specific baking temperatures, she omitted the evaluative comments that Tufford provided. Recipes are not typically copyrightable, allowing such similarities within community cookbooks.
Many community cookbooks, like The Joy of Sharing, often present recipes without clear attribution, leading to a blend of innovation and adaptation. While home cooks frequently modify recipes to suit their tastes, the practice of submitting unattributed recipes can be problematic. As an English professor, I find it unsettling when the sources of beloved recipes remain unacknowledged.
The Value of Culinary Attribution
Adding a line to indicate a recipe’s source could enhance the reader’s experience, allowing them to trace culinary influences. For instance, knowing whether a beloved family recipe originated from a renowned cookbook or a friend’s collection can deepen one’s appreciation for the dish. This sentiment reflects the ethos of Peterson Tufford, who aimed to preserve these “folk recipes” in her collection, Original Scandinavian Recipes, originally published in 1940 and reprinted in 2022.
Gryde’s commitment to preserving her heritage is also evident in her contributions to the community. Besides her culinary contributions, she has been featured in H. Elaine Lindgren’s book, *Land in Her Own Name: Women as Homesteaders in North Dakota*, highlighting the story of her mother, Sarah Knutson Gryde, a pioneer under the Homestead Act.
While the oatmeal crackers are delicious—especially when paired with butter or as a base for cheese and salami—the greater reward lies in the insights gained from preparing them. They evoke memories of sharing flatbreads with my great aunt Joy, who introduced me to the art of decorating them with cheese. Ultimately, discovering the origins of Gryde’s Havre Kjeks has enriched my culinary journey, connecting me to a broader community narrative.
